SOUTH POLE-AITKEN SAMPLE RETURN MISSION: COLLECTING MARE BASALTS FROM THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON. J. J. Gillis1, B. L. Jolliff1, and P. G. Lucey2, 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, 2Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822. ([email protected]) Introduction: We consider the probability that a al., [14]. Omat values are used to acquire compositions sample mission to a site within the South Pole-Aitken (Table 1) and spectra (Fig. 2) from fresh craters for use Basin (SPA) would return basaltic material. A sample in mixing model analysis. The Lunar Prospector γ-ray mission to the SPA would be the first opportunity to data for Th, K, and FeO are also used to assess the sample basalts from the far side of the Moon. The near compositions of basalt units within SPA [11, 15, 16]. side basalts are more abundant in terms of volume and area than their far-side counterparts (16:1 [1]), and the basalt deposits within SPA represent ~28% of the total basalt surface area on the far side. Sampling far-side basalts is of particular importance because as partial melts of the mantle, they could have derived from a mantle that is mineralogically and chemically different than determined for the nearside, as would be expected if the magma ocean solidified earlier on the far side. For example, evidence to support the existence of high- Th basalts like those that appear to be common on the nearside in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane has been found [2,3,4]. Although SPA is the deepest basin on the Moon, it is not extensively filled with mare basalt, as might be expected if similar amounts of partial melting occurred in the mantle below SPA as for basins on the near side. These observations may mean that mantle beneath the far-side crust is lower in Th and other heat producing elements than the nearside. One proposed location for a sample-return landing site is 60°S, 160°W [5](Fig. 1). This site was suggested Fig 1. Clementine 750 nm image mosaic of SPA centered on to maximize the science return with respect to sampling 56°S, 180. The arrow points to the site discussed in the text. crustal material and SPA impact melt, however, basaltic Regional SPA Geology: Basalt deposits within samples would undoubtedly occur there. On the basis of SPA are found in three principal geologic settings: ba- Apollo samples, we should expect that basaltic materi- sins, craters, and intercrater. Apollo (Ap), Ingenii (I), als would be found in the vicinity of any landing site and Poincaré (Po), the three youngest basins within within SPA, even if located away from mare deposits. SPA, collectively contain ~44% of the basalt deposits. For example, the Apollo 16 mission landed in an an- Basalts within Apollo exhibit the highest TiO2 concen- cient highlands region 250-300 km away from the near- trations within SPA. There are 17 basalt-filled craters, est mare-highlands boundary yet it still contains a small which contain another ~44% of the basalt on the floor component of basaltic samples (20 lithic fragments of SPA. A survey of the crater size distribution reveals ranging is size from <1 to .01 cm [6,7]). that basalt filled craters range in diameter from <25 km A soil sample from the floor of SPA will likely con- to over 245 km (e.g., Leibnitz). Crater size does not tain an assortment of basaltic fragments from surround- correlate with volume of volcanics because, for exam- ing regions. In terms both of selecting the best landing ple, Van De Graff (233 km) and Schrodinger (S) (312 sites and understanding the geologic context for re- km) contain only minor basalt flows and Planck (314 turned samples, it is important to understand the com- km) contains no basalt at all. Intercrater basalt deposits positional distribution of basalts within SPA basin. constitute the remaining portion of mare. The majority Data acquisition and analysis: We investigate the of intercrater basalt deposits occur in the area southwest spectral characteristics of surface materials surrounding of Apollo Basin, which corresponds with the lowest the landing site and out to 300 km, and examine exten- elevations within SPA. The surface compositions of all sive basalt deposits throughout the basin using basalt flows within SPA tend to have low FeO and TiO2 Clementine 5-band UVVIS data [8], which were proc- concentrations. Thus we use the compositions of fresh essed using the latest radiometric and photometric cali- craters in these deposits in an attempt to extract the brations [9] and at 100m/pixel [10]. Distribution of FeO original basalt composition (Table 1). The composi- and TiO2 are calculated using the Clementine spectral tional data demonstrate that SPA basalt compositions reflectance data [11,12,13]. Optical maturity levels exhibit limited variability; FeO ranges from 17-20 (omat) were calculated using the algorithm of Lucey et wt.%, TiO2 from <1-3 wt.%, and Th 1-2 ppm. Abstract #2065: 34th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 2003, Houston TX. COLLECTING BASALTS FROM SPA: J. J. Gillis and B. L. Jolliff Table 1 Compositions for several basalt deposits in SPA com- cal landing site with the spectra of the intercrater ba- pared with the compositions of fresh craters within the same salts north of the site, the low and moderate TiO2 ba- geologic unit. *LP-GRS FeO [15] salts of Apollo Basin, and fresh basin floor material surface surface crater excavated by Antoniadi (70°S, 172°W; 143 km dia.), Deposit TiO2 FeO FeO which lies 300 km to the south. The average spectrum 60°S, 160°W <1 11.0 nonmare basin floor* <1 9.0 of fresh craters (omat >0.35) surrounding 60°S, 160°W intercrater basalt 1.5 17.4 18.5 is similar to the average spectrum of fresh craters for western Apollo 2.4 17.1 19.4 the intercrater basalt units (Fig. 2). We used a linear central Apollo 1.3 18.6 19.8 mixing model of the 5-band spectrum and FeO concen- Southern Apollo #1 3.0 18.7 19.6 Southern Apollo #2 2.5 16.9 19.0 tration of the intercrater basalt and nonmare basin floor Poincare (high-Ti) 1.3 17.2 18.0 material north of Antoniadi to calculate that a mixture Poincare (low-Ti) <1 15.2 18.4 of 15:85 basalt and nonmare basin floor material would Leibnitz 2.6 19.0 21.0 reproduce the spectrum and composition of the fresh Ingenii 2.0 17.0 19.2 crater materials surrounding the landing site. This mix- Getting Basalt out of the Deposit: The area sur- ture is 25:75 basalt/basin floor material if the spectrum rounding the potential sampling site mentioned above of a low-Ti basalt from Apollo is used. exhibits subdued topography, shallow craters, and a Conclusions: The possibility that the regolith in the paucity of preNectarian and Nectarian craters, suggest- location of 60°S, 160°W could contain ~20% basaltic ing a resurfacing event has occurred in this area some material suggests that it would make a great target for time after the SPA event. The resurfacing event may collecting basaltic material and SPA basin material. have been an ancient basin impact [17](e.g., Grissom- 0.4 White Basin; 44°S, 199°), an eruption of basalt [18], or both. Within 300 km radius there are multiple small 0.35 intercrater basalt deposits and buried basalt deposits. These deposits are identified by a high-Ca pyroxene 0.3 nonmare basin materials ferrous absorption centered at 950 nm, and elevated materal near landing site FeO and TiO2 concentrations relative to the average intercrater basalt basin floor material. The margins of these deposits ex- 0.25 Apollo moderate-Ti basalt Apollo low-Ti basalt hibit embaying relationships and lobate boundaries, 0.2 which suggests they originated as volcanic flows. After Reflectance eruption, subsequent influx(es) of basin ejecta possibly from Apollo or Orientale [18] mixed and buried the 0.15 volcanic deposits. The presence and extent of the inter- crater basalt flows also hints at the possibility that there 0.1 is an even greater volume of basalt trapped in near sur- face hypabyssal deposits within this area. Lateral and 0.05 vertical mixing by cumulative cratering would be 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 highly efficient at mixing basaltic and SPA basin floor Clementine Bandpass material in this area. Fig 2. A comparison of Clementine 5-band spectra for vari- In addition to the intercrater basalt deposits there are ous materials within SPA. several large-crater basalt deposits (Minkowski, Baldet, Antoniadi). None of the basalt deposits in these craters Acknowledgments: This research was supported in part by have large craters that would deliver the exotic material NAG5-8905 and NAG5-10227. directly to the landing site. Getting basalt from these References: [1] Head J. W. and Wilson L., GCA, 56, 2155- craters would involve a series of ejections from small 2175, 1992; [2] Jolliff et al., JGR, 105(E2), 4197-4216, 2000; craters. Consequently, this would be an inefficient [3] Gillis et al., LPSC XXXIII, #1934, 2002; [4] Flor et al., process that would yield a low number of basalt sam- LPSC XXXIV, this issue, 2003; [5] Haskin et al., LPSC ples. Distributing basalt from one of the filled basins XXXIV, this issue, 2003; [6] Delano J. W. (1975) PLS C 6th, would be easier on the basis that large craters have hit 15-47, 1975; [7] Zeigler et al., LPSC XXXIV, this issue, 2003; and distributed a greater amount of material farther [8] Nozette et al., Science, 266, 1835-1839, 1994; [9] McE- from the deposit’s source.